UK3 min(s) read
Published 10:11 01 Jun 2026 GMT
A British surgeon who deliberately caused the loss of both his legs as part of a disturbing sexual fantasy has been permanently removed from the medical register after serving a prison sentence for fraud.
Neil Hopper, a former consultant vascular surgeon, was struck off by a medical tribunal after it concluded that his criminal convictions meant he "poses a risk to patient safety" and that immediate action was needed to "maintain public confidence in the medical profession."
The decision was quickly deemed urgent enough that his removal from the medical register took effect immediately.
Hopper's case shocked the UK after it emerged that he had falsely claimed his double leg amputations were caused by sepsis, when in reality he had intentionally injured himself using dry ice.
His secret was uncovered during an investigation into notorious body modification website operator Marius Gustavson, known online as the "Eunuch Maker."
Gustavson, who was previously jailed for life, had mutilated his own body, including having his penis removed, part of a nipple cut off, and freezing his leg to the point it required amputation.
During court proceedings, prosecutor Nicholas Lee said Hopper had purchased videos from Gustavson's EunuchMaker.com website, paying between $18 and $65 for footage showing men voluntarily having their genitals removed.
The court heard Hopper exchanged around 1,500 messages with Gustavson discussing his own amputations and the methods used to carry them out.
Mr Lee told the court: "It is evident from the messages that Mr Hopper wished to become an amputee and it was always something he had dreamt of."
He added that it was "something he has been obsessed with and had a sexual interest in becoming an amputee."
Investigators discovered Hopper had used dry ice to freeze his legs until the tissue became irreparably damaged, ultimately leading to both limbs being amputated.
Prosecutors said he then attempted to profit from the injuries through insurance claims. Hopper intended to receive approximately $441,284 from one insurer and $432,686 from another.
In 2025, the former Royal Cornwall Hospital surgeon was sentenced to 32 months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation and three counts of possessing extreme pornographic images.
According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Hopper "fraudulently claimed over £466,000 (about $630,000) in insurance payouts" after falsely stating that "the injuries to his limbs were the result of sepsis."
Senior Crown Prosecutor Richard Parkhouse said: "Hopper has a sexual fetish linked to amputation, and paid to access these images for his own gratification."
He continued: "In his communications with the owner of the website, the truth about Hopper's own injuries was revealed: that the damage that led to his double leg amputations had been self-inflicted."
"Hopper failed to disclose this fact when making two insurance claims for his injuries, and fraudulently pocketed almost half a million pounds."
Investigators found that Hopper purchased approximately 44 pounds of dry ice pellets through PayPal on April 14, 2019, just days before paramedics were called to his home and found him suffering from severe injuries to his feet and legs.
Following the amputations, Hopper successfully received insurance payouts worth £235,622.14 and £231,031.67 from Aviva and Old Mutual Wealth without revealing that the injuries had been self-inflicted, prosecutors said.
Before the truth emerged, Hopper publicly shared his story in media appearances, including interviews on ITV's This Morning and the BBC's Inside Out West, where he described his recovery after what he claimed were sepsis-related amputations.
A spokesperson for Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust previously stated there was no evidence that Hopper's actions outside of work had affected any patients he treated during his medical career.
